Well, we are nearing the end of 2012 and I'm not sure what to make of the year. A little good, a little bad, a whole lot unexpected...

I'm working as a teacher's aide at our local elementary school and I love it. I'm heading back to college in about 3 weeks. I haven't taken a class in about 12 years, so it will be interesting trying to get into the groove of homework, etc again.

We are living in our 5th wheel still... no sign of a house in progress across the field, oh well, eventually we will get there. Right now our little home is leaking. Lots of rain and snow - I think we need a tarp or two to protect this place better. Today is the first day I've been able to have internet here. We picked up a little wifi device and are back in business. I do love technology.

My husband got me a Kindle for Christmas. I love it!  Sarah and I are busy with free books. Excellent. :)

Bay is supposed to be on her way here, but there might be a problem with the bus. I'm not sure exactly what's going on. They sold her a ticket online, but there's no way to pick it up?? Someday I will have things back in order with my family. It's my only regret about moving here - no easy access to family.

Well, it's time to get going on my Christmas dish. Happy Holidays to you!

Feeling Chatty....

I started my holiday baking last night. I made some combo chip cookies with semi-sweet, milk chocolate, white chips and coconut. They turned out good, but I've never met a chocolate chip cookie that I did not like. Sometimes I put a little bit of oats in them. I like a crisp cookie and both the browned coconut and oats really give a cookie great texture.

I made up sugar cookies with the cookie cutters that I got from Mom and Grandma. I love using their tools. My rolling pin used to be Great Grandma Halfhill's. I like feeling like they are somehow baking right alongside me. Most of my pans belonged to Grandma Halfhill, my strainer, my colander, all the things I use every day. I'd like to add to my pan collection, but I will always use these tools. I trust them.

I have a friend who uses his mother's baking table when he cooks. It's perfect - good height, good size, and you can see the marks she put into the table over the years as she prepared food for her family. What a treasure. He lost his mom way too early, but every meal he prepares, her hand is in it.

That table means a lot to him. I appreciate people who get things like that. New things are nice, but a little family history, there's nothing like it. I want to hand things down to my girls when they have their own families. I want Bailey to be able to grate cheese for tacos with Grandma's grater and Sarah to scoop ice cream with her wooden handle scoop. It might sound silly, but that's just me.

Baking, it really helped to regain my holiday spirit. I've still got a lot left to do - lacy almond cookies and some fudge. Maybe some chocolate krinkles for Mom. Tonight I'm going to make a quiche for dinner. I haven't made one of those in a long time. When I was a hairdresser, I'd take my tips upstairs where I'd pick up quiche and spinach salad for lunch. Yum. That reminds me......I think I need a bag of spinach. I'm going to finish my decorating and my wrapping. Okay, I'm going to start the wrapping - I have nothing under the tree so far. It's going to take me awhile. Good thing I've candy canes and cookies for energy.

Kitty scratched Sarah's face today. Sometimes she's mean and nasty. I try to get Sarah to understand that she can't have her face too close to her. I'm afraid that she's going to get her in the eye. I love my cat, but when she makes my girl cry, I feel like doing a Grandpa Harold, I feel like sending her sailing out the door (he chose the deck, flying kitty - don't worry, she always landed on her feet). I don't. I am gentle with her, but she's going to stay stuck in my bedroom for awhile today.

I'm done with my work-work for the day. Way early. Feels great. I may even get time to read today. Guess what? This was my 300th post. Wow.

National Wear Red Day

It was party day in Sarah's class! Woo hoo! What do you think of her tasty jewel? Here's some of her loot. Lots of SpongeBob in there. Is SpongeBob the acceptable cartoon for 5th graders? Can you read that SpongeBob card? It says that it's from "Yo." Silly kid. That cracks me up. She got a lot of candy, including big Smarties. Have you seen those? Part of the reason that I like Smarties is because they are small. Why mess with a good thing?

Below are our National Wear Red Day outfits. When I put on the shirt that I planned to wear, I noticed that the shirt's sleeves were ripped. Darn! So, I had to wear a tank top, which was covered by a hoodie at work.

We had rainy day recess today and the last recess kicked my ass. I got upset, which doesn't happen there very often, but sometimes, as I've mentioned, the kids are cruel to each other and it bothers me. A lot. One boy, Cyrus is a large boy, very tall, but he's very gentle and soft-hearted. His family is Samoan and they are all very tall. Cyrus has been my height (5'4") since he was in the 2nd grade - he's in the 4th grade now. Today was his birthday and he was very excited, but that didn't last long. I stopped to tie a little kid's shoe and in the time it took me to do that, an older child pushed him down and kicked him in front of a big group. No one in the group helped him. I took their ball away, because we have a strict no-bullying policy at our school, and the kids would come up over and over and tell me lies or basic BS trying to get that ball back. I'm so tired of children looking me in the eye and lying to me.

I was so stressed out that I felt like I was going to throw up for the rest of the afternoon. I usually love my job, but sometimes I hate it. Today was a hate day. I blame the Valentine's Day candy.

Here's Sarah in her red. She's so cute. She loves this new top. It has a girlie looking skull on the front side, but her long hair is covering it up.

We just got back from Sarah's basketball practice. She is improving so much. I probably say that all the time, don't I? I'm very proud of her.

Bay and Greg are at a Chili Cookoff. I wish that they were home, in the next room, because this week wore me out and I'd love to go to bed early.

I wish you a wonderful weekend.